High Schools

Transfer GHC1.3billion average cost of SHS Tablets to the Provision of Textbooks and Desks for the Basic Schools – Kofi Asare

30th May 2023

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Ferdinand | EducationGhana |May 30|Transfer GHC1.3billion average cost of SHS Tablets to the Provision of Textbooks and Desks for the Basic Schools – Kofi Asare

The executive director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare has indicated that the Ministry of Education should transfer the GHC1.3 billion average cost of SHS Tablets to the Provision of Textbooks and Desks for the Basic Schools.

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He made this statement in a Facebook post on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

According to him, there are over 1.3 million students in SHS. The average 128 GB tablet costs about GHC 1,000 at wholesale. Gov’t could spend up to GHC 1.3 billion on the SHS Textbook Tablets-less maintenance.

Source of Money for the Project

Kofi added, that he was suspicious the money for the project may likely be a commercial loan since it was not budgeted.

”Don’t forget we have adequate SHS textbooks already, with millions of basic school pupils lacking desks and adequate textbooks.” He said.

”About 60% of the GHC 1.3 billion can solve all the desk and textbook deficits in basic schools.” He concluded.

Earlier Comments

The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare has earlier reiterated, that the government’s continuous support for the Senior High Schools against the underdeveloped Basic Education was very unfortunate.

He made this assertion when speaking to Alfred Ocansey on TV 3 News at 10 on Monday Night, May 29, 2023.

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Alfred Ocansy earlier questioned Kofi, and the President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonou on the decision of the Government to distribute Tablets to SHS students this year to replace Textbooks at the SHS level.

But Kofi Asare, who lauded the decision to introduce e-books to the education sector to augment the new era in educational technology, however, he disagreed with the timing and the preference.

Kofi indicated, that the government earlier indicated it was running the Free SHS positively by providing textbooks to all students in hard copies, of which giving them tablets containing the same textbooks was an opportunity cost looking at other necessities in the education sector.

He also reminded the government to look into providing desks for the basic schools that are lacking desks across the country, as well as the Junior High and Primary levels that are lacking new curriculum textbooks rather than spending the money on tablets for the SHS students.

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Angel Carbonou

Adding his voice to the issue at hand, the President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Cabounou indicated that the Unions were not consulted on the decision by the government though he also believes the introduction of technology to education at the SHS level was a god called.

He however indicated that not all SHSs in Ghana have adequate facilities such as stable electricity to use tablets.

He also said if the government wants to start such an initiative, it should be willing to provide the basic necessities that could allow efficient use of tablets, such as good and stable internet and electricity.

He however thought an attention to the basic level was not a bad idea by Kofi Asare.

Background

The government through the Ministry of Education is preparing to replace textbooks with laptops in Senior High Schools across the country.

The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who announced this, said textbooks and other teaching and learning materials would be installed on the laptops to be used during lessons.

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Speaking at the 60th Anniversary celebration of the Hohoe Evangelical Presbyterian Senior High School, Dr. Bawumia said the initiative which would be implemented before the end of 2023.

He noted that it is aimed at preparing the students to fit into the global village.

The ‘One Teacher one laptop’ initiative launched

“If this country must move forward in the right direction, we must invest in education which is the only platform for preparing nation builders for tomorrow.

“The Minister for Education has also assured me that this year, we’ll start the replacement textbooks with laptops that have textbooks embedded in Senior high Schools,” he said on Saturday.

One Teacher-One Laptop policy has been successful, 80% of laptops distributed – Bawumia

This new initiative comes after the government launched the One-teacher One-laptop project on Friday, September 3, 2021.

The programme was meant to give Senior High School teachers modern materials to facilitate teaching and learning and as of December 11, 2021, Ghana Education Service reported that 80% of laptops meant for teachers had been distributed.